Prosecutors Undecided On Espinoza Perez Retrial

BALTIMORE (AP) — Prosecutors in Baltimore have not decided whether to retry a Mexican man for a fourth time on murder charges for the near-beheadings of three young relatives.

Policarpio Espinoza Perez, 31, was convicted on three counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and acquitted of second-degree murder on Tuesday. A judge declared a mistrial on a first-degree murder charge.

Mark Cheshire, a spokesman for the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, says the conspiracy charges carry a maximum life sentence. Cheshire says prosecutors will evaluate the case, including the sentence on the conspiracy charges, before deciding.

Co-defendant Adan Canela is to be tried again later this year.

Espinoza and Canela are illegal immigrants from Mexico. Investigators have not established a clear motive beyond saying they believed a family dispute was involved.